Press Releases
No increase in live chicken imports before Mid-Autumn Festival
Live chicken imports from the Mainland would not be increased for the period
before the Mid-Autumn Festival and the daily live chicken import would be
maintained at a ceiling of 16,000 chickens, a spokesman for the Food and Health
Bureau said today (August 19).
"As avian influenza continues to be a threat to Hong Kong, coupled with daily
leftover of live chickens in the wholesale market recently, the Government has
assessed the latest situation and decided to keep the number of daily live
chicken imported from the Mainland unchanged. It is believed that the present
import level of live chicken is adequate to meet public demand for live chickens
during the festival and can balance the risk control of avian influenza," the
spokesman said.
So far in August, there are on average 28,000 live chickens available at markets
daily. The number of leftover chickens in the wholesale market is about 4,000
daily.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has been closely
monitoring the situation of leftover chickens in the wholesale market and has
stepped up the biosecurity and disinfection measures in the market, including
assisting wholesalers to cleanse their premises every day and conduct thorough
disinfection in the market twice a week.
The department has also encouraged wholesalers not to overstock live chickens in
the wholesale market. The leftover chickens are distinguished from the newly
arrived chickens by labels and are also kept separately.
The spokesman said the Government would also ensure a steady supply of chilled
chickens and frozen chickens to allow people to have different choices.
In addition, the Government would continue to strictly enforce the measure of no
overnight stocking of live chickens at retail outlets, closely monitor the
situation in the live poultry wholesale market, retail markets and farms, and
join with the Mainland and local authorities in deterring any smuggling of
poultry to protect public health.
Ends/Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:52
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